Congrats on a job well done. I love hearing homeowners taking on jobs once reserved for the so-called experts!

Hey Gardenlad, it says, "Small peppers may be left whole with two small slits in each pepper. Core and cut large peppers into strips." Am I right that the larger the pepper, the greater the percentage of seeds and core, so it's not just a matter of whether the peppers will fit into the jars? I KNOW this may be just unbearable to all of you experts, but, here goes: Not including stems, the longest are 6 inches; the smallest about 4.5 inches. Would any of those be considered "small?" Since this is to be a nap time endeavor and time will be short, can I just cut them in half lengthwise and remove the seeds, etc. Also, I don't see any real info on how tightly to pack them in the jars. Is it pretty much like for pickles, or not as tight?

Oh no, Murraysmom. Don't worry. I should have said in all three of my "napping" posts that these photos are all "baby pictures" of the original, very real and alive, now aged 11 years, Harry. Harry the Perfect and Sam the Not are happy, healthy, and full of vim and vinegar, or something-and-vinegar! LOL I found a box of old Kodak photo discs that had all of Harry's puppy/baby photos from 2003. I wanted to share them. TeddyBear - Harry, and Sam, are Deutsch Drahthaars, a German versatile hunting breed. Harry is great-uncle, x3, to Sam.

I've been following your threads because I know you and your hubby are wonderful, loving people. You are on quite an adventure and those three little girls are blessed to have come into your lives. Advice from a Grandma: (my 4 were spread out over 9 yrs.) When the infant/baby/toddler is napping, YOU NAP! (I'd tell my older kids that I was gonna nap & they should answer the phone & wake me when the baby woke up.) Laundry, picking up toys, etc., is a hassle when the kids are up, BUT, YOU NAP when they do! Son & DDIL had a 4 & 1/2 yr. old, an almost 2 yr. old & were blessed with premie twins. CHAOS! I lived 900 miles away, but came for a couple of wks. at a time to help. When the little ones napped, DDIL would put on a movie for the eldest and she & I would PASS OUT until a little one woke up. Maybe dinner would be late, or the laundry wasn't done, but we both could function better for the rest of the day with a nap. You said that you don't have family near to help, but can you get someone to come & schedule a "break" in 3-4 mos. when you & DH can just get away? The other Grandma called me when the twins were 4 mos. & told me our children were "burning out" and needed a break (no sleep, 3 in diapers, 3 needing to be fed.) She and I took over & kicked our kids out for 3 days. They went to a motel and said they mostly slept! You both need time together away from the chaos. Something else that no one mentioned. . . .You WILL have to go to the ER for stitches, x-rays (maybe casts), dentist for busted teeth, etc. --it happens, no matter how careful a parent you are. Head/face wounds bleed A LOT but can usually be taken care of with OTC skin glue you get at a drug store (A now 7 yr. old twin got a head wound glued last week on vacation.) If a face wound is severe enough to require stitches, you can request, in the ER, to have plastic surgeon do the stitches (eldest grandson had a plastic surgeon for face wounds 3 time before he was 8!) You sound like a natural at being a MOM, but there are things us Moms learn along the way that can "head you off at the pass." Like others have said about ground rules. And you've been doing that (with the "naughty chair'!) It sound like from your postings that you're being an awesome Mom! Many blessings for all 5 of you! Pat